


Factory Reset

by FreezeThisMoment



Series: My Bad Habit is You [2]
Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Angst, Anxiety + Depression mentions oops, Dreams and Nightmares, Eventual Happy Ending, Falling In Love, Fighting, Johnny and Hyuck's relationship is goals, M/M, Moving On, Panic Attacks, Slow Burn, Some Fluff, Teens being teens, Two POVs, Updates may not be that often because motivation is hard, and out of it too, emotional tension, kind of not really, more characters to be added as I update, summary may change I suck at writing those please give this a chance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-01
Updated: 2018-07-22
Packaged: 2019-05-31 22:52:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,244
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15129476
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FreezeThisMoment/pseuds/FreezeThisMoment
Summary: People are complicated, feelings are messy.





	1. One

**Author's Note:**

> So this took way too long, but I am a weenie and have been afraid of messing it up and ditching it oops. This is going to be longer than the first part, and I'll try and update whenever I get enough okay quality text out for a chapter! Thanks for clicking on this, hope you enjoy. :)

Mark definitely had a different idea for how this night should've played out. It's Christmas, and he's with the girl of his dreams. It had started out fine, walking together along the Han River, enjoying the beauty of the night. He thinks that he could write an entire album about the way the moon shines off of her hair, the depth of her eyes.  
  
She's so perfect.  
  
Being an idol is a busy life, and despite the lack of free time, he refused to be horrible and forget a present. He's not sure when to give her the gift, a necklace, custom ordered. It burns a hole in the back of his pocket. The stars shine overhead, and they stroll in silence.  
  
After a while, a cloud covers the moon, and she turns to him. "Hey." Her voice is slightly raspy, low, melodic. To him, it sounds like every word that comes past her lips is music.  
  
"What's up?" Something is bothering her, he can tell from the constant adjustment of her hair, and the way she's been constantly biting her lip.  
  
"I've been," she begins, and then stops, mouth still open, it appears the words are refusing to come out, "thinking." She sounds shaky, like her resolve on something is faltering.  
  
"Is everything okay?"   
  
"No, it's not." She answers. He stops them, and turns to look her dead on.   
  
"Talk to me." He says, hands on her shoulders.   
  
"We've been together for months."   
  
"Time moves by fast right?" He thinks about the necklace.  
  
"Mark, I think I'm supposed to be feeling something by now." She says, and pulls away from his touch. He blinks, and her words hit him like a punch. Reaching up, he checks to make sure his nose isn't bleeding. It feels like it could be.   
  
"What do you mean?" He asks, whispering. He knows what she means. His heart knows, even if his brain won't process it.   
  
"I don't think this is going anywhere."   
  
"You said you loved me before." It's all but a cry, a desperate attempt at getting her to stay with him.   
  
"People lie, and I've lied to you then Lee Minhyung." She's cold now. Such a transition, and it awes him even though it shouldn't. He shouldn't be feeling this way when she's denying everything they've had. She used his given name too, making the words so much more toxic, scorching.   
  
"Please-" He cuts himself off, not sure what he's wanting to ask for. Maybe for her to not leave him? Maybe for her to love him, to make the things he gave up worth it. She waits, but he doesn't continue.  
  
By the time the cloud over the moon passes, Mark is left by himself. He hurls the gift, the one that had taken most of his savings and pocket money combined, into the river, and shouts.   
  
**_//_**  
  
 _It's Summer, hot and glorious and free. Mark is sitting on a bench with someone, and whoever this person is, they're making his heart shake. He knows who it is, and looks down, because they've been laying on his lap._ _  
_ _  
_ _Mark almost chokes when he sees short red hair instead of long brown, sees golden skin instead of pale. This person is beautiful and shining in bright yellow. He looks so at home, so content, and Mark can't help but pet his hair._ _  
_ _  
_ _Lee Donghyuck opens his eyes, which glitter with happiness. "Hey," he giggles, the noise breathless. He tries sitting up, and teasingly, Mark pushes him back down, taking in the way his laughter echoes like the peals of a bell, the way his eyelashes flutter, thick and dark without mascara._ _  
_ _  
_ _Mark finds himself laughing too, because when Donghyuck is laughing, happy, he is too. That's the way it is. The way it's been. The way it should be. "Red is a good color on you." He says, because it is, makes him look like a rose._ _  
_ _  
_ _"Thanks." And then, "I kinda want this moment to never end." Donghyuck's image suddenly flickers, his face for a split second becomes someone else's._ _  
_ _  
_ _"Nothing really lasts." He says. Donghyuck's face twists, and then, he vanishes, and she is in his place. She's the opposite of him, colorless. Summer blinks into Winter._  
  
 ** _//_**   
  
Mark jolts awake, and gasps for breath. He tries to clear his head as his chest heaves. Where is he? That's not so hard to answer, he's in his room, in his bed. "It was a dream." He whispers to himself, so small that it's barely a noise, and certainly not enough to wake Jaehyun and Ten.  
  
Something hot and wet hits his arm, and he realizes he's crying. It's silent, Mark is always silent when he cries. Why is he crying? That's both simple and, well, not so simple to answer. It's easy because he's had his heart broken for the first time in his life. It's harder, because his heart is yelling, saying these tears are for him.  
  
Mark hasn't felt much for Lee Donghyuck in a long time. It didn't make sense to be crying at all. It was probably the dream. It was a moment he remembers, a conversation that stuck in his mind. Coincidentally the last thing he ever wrote.   
  
He's been in love twice in his life, fallen out of love one of those times. His heart had cooled when it came to Donghyuck, stopped beating for his best friend's voice. Are they still best friends? They haven't really talked, and he can still see the way Donghyuck is not quite there anymore.  
  
How did heartbreak feel for him?   
  
This isn't something he wants to dwell on anymore, so he rolls over, and let's sleep take him back under. He can deal with it in the morning. Things are always easier then.  
  
 ** _//_**  
  
Donghyuck definitely had a different idea for how the night should've ended. That being in happiness, in spending a holiday with his members, celebrating being together and making it through the year. He can't wait for the year to be over.  
  
So, when Mark comes home early, slamming the door shut, face a combination of rage and raw sadness, so raw in fact that it just looks like hurt, he leaves. Just vanishes, one second there, the next holed up in his room. It's too much now, if he gets too close, he'll explode, and share their buried secrets.  
  
From his bed, wrapped in blankets so that only his face sticks out, he listens to the noise that comes from outside. It's confusing, a mix of what sounds like pity aggression, and almost tears. Such a combination, a recipe for disaster, so naturally one for a headache too.  
  
He shifts, attempting to block the noise out. In this process, he manages to knock his phone behind his bed. If it were literally any other item, he would leave it, but SM only provides them one. Because life can never give him the easy way out, he ends having to de-tangle himself, and get onto the floor.  
  
Donghyuck knows that his letter basket is under there, full of things razor sharp, covered in thorns. Which makes it hurt worse, makes it such a nasty surprise when it's empty. All the letters ever, even from years and years ago found their home there, and now it was all gone.  
  
It feels like someone has stabbed a hand into his chest and pulled out his heart, the pain in undescribable. He can't breathe, his lungs frozen. He loses his balance because his limbs have forgotten how to work. As he goes, he hears a 'crack', feels his skull erupt with pain but he can't feel anything.   
  
Rapid shaking takes over his body, and suddenly someone is there. He can't tell who, but the presence is big and warm and human, and that's enough. It covers him, helps him ground himself. He can't understand the words being whispered in his ear, but with each one, his minds clambers out of the fog.  
  
It feels like hours before he notices that he has tears streaming down his face, and he moves again. The tears are hot, and he feels his lungs heave, suck in as much air as they can hold, and the breaths echo in his ringing ears. "Breathe, that's it." He can make out now.  
  
The voice is so faint that he can barely hear it, but he knows it's Johnny. "Hyung." He rasps, body still out of his control. He's so dizzy, his heart is beating so quickly that surely he must be dying.   
  
"Don't try and talk right now. We're going to have to get some water in you, and some ice on your head." Johnny soothes, wrapping his arms tighter around the younger, fingers skirting gently over his skin in gentle patterns. They sit on the floor, time passing. At some point, Taeyong opens the door, and delivers an ice pack, and water bottle.  
  
That helps alleviate some of the pain, and when Johnny carefully hands him the water, he realizes how dry his throat is. "Thank you." He says, voice clearer now.   
  
"Are you okay?" The older asks, slowly detaching himself from Donghyuck.  
  
"I will be." He answers. A bitter smile creeps onto his face, and Johnny thinks that he's too young to have an expression like that.  
  
"Was it the letters?" Johnny asks hesitantly. Donghyuck isn't going to lie to him, there's no point.  
  
"They're all gone."   
  
"I'm sorry kid." His heart is hurting for the other. Those letters were precious, memories to when Mark and Donghyuck had been joined at the hip. He still doesn't understand why the two don't talk anymore.   
  
"It's okay hyung, there's nothing you could've done."   
  
**_//_**  
  
Mark wakes up earlier than usual, and when he heads to the kitchen, is confronted by Jaemin (and by default Jeno, plus Renjun). He doesn't really process the fact that they are there at all at first, trying to keep his eyes open as he starts to make coffee.   
  
He barely stops himself from screaming when they encircle him. "Good morning hyung." Jaemin says, but it's almost threatening.   
  
"What's happening?" He asks.   
  
"Something that should've happened a long time ago."

 

“What does that mean?” He's confused, and still feels pretty terrible to tell the truth.

 

“What did you do to Donghyuck?” Renjun steps forward, eyes hard. Mark all but blanches. This is not what he was expecting.

 

“I don't know what you mean?”

 

“He looks like he's dying these days, and it was after you left him alone. Obviously something is up.” This has to be rehearsed he thinks as Jaemin follows up speaking without a hitch.

 

“We just drifted apart I guess? Can you move, I want coffee.” Mark's answer is short and clipped. The trio exchanges glances, and then the look in Jaemin’s eyes turns mean, and makes it uneasy.

 

“Broken heart doesn't feel so great huh? Wonder how Hyuck must feel to have his heart broken and then ditched by his best friend?” For the second time in twenty-four hours, he checks to see if his nose is bleeding, because the words hurt enough for it to be that way.

 

“Who told you?” He whispers.

 

“Didn't need anyone to, it was so obvious the way you two used to be.” Renjun doesn't have the same aggression in his eyes, but he looks mean as well, and it's so different from the happy and calm expression he usually wears.

 

“What do you want?” Mark feels so tired.

 

“Fix him please, it's your fault after all.” This time it’s Renjun who’s answer is clipped. Mark isn't used to being ganged up on, but maybe he deserves it. Maybe. But being the per son that he is and never knowing when to back down, he doesn’t let that thought take root. Being emotionally vulnerable sure affects rationality he’s also finding.

 

“So I see where your loyalties lie.” They’re all getting mean this morning it seems, Jeno hasn’t even spoken but he’s got a pretty solid bitch face that does the trick just as well.

 

Jaemin, who has turned around to leave, stops and turns back around, hands shaking. “Let me clear some things up Golden Boy. You’ve gotten everything handed to you and don’t need to worry because you’re always going to have something no matter what the boss decides. We don’t. We’ve got a little life line and a lot of the waiting game to play. We’ve got each other, and you have everyone. Everyone Mark. You don’t need our ‘loyalties’ or whatever bullshit you’re calling it.” His voice doesn’t raise in pitch, stays in that lower register that’s been developing more and more recently.

 

He does put feeling into the words howevr, keeps adding fuel to the fire until it’s blazing. There’s not an ounce of sympathy. Suddenly, he feels like a little kid, grasping at straws for the sake of arguing. Losing is humiliating, and he doesn’t want to be the one doing the walk of shame. “Donghyuck has people too, he’s not all isolated, if anything he’s got more than you.”

 

“I don’t think you’re someone to speak for him at the moment.” Jeno reminds them that he does in fact have a voice. “You haven’t exactly watched him die from the inside out.” He taps both Renjun and Jaemin on the elbow, and Mark finally gives up. Getting the last word wouldn’t do anything but paint him worse in their eyes. 

 

**_//_ **

 

Contrary to popular belief, k-pop bands don’t always get along like family. Some do, you can really tell from the way they work together off stage, when they’re practicing or in the SM Cafe thing that’s downstairs. Some people just click better than others, that’s the way life works. NCT, they get along fairly well you could say. In the beginning, it was easy, but the more people that trickle in, the harder it is to keep a balance. They’re young adults and teenagers. They get angry, hold grudges, fight. Usually, things just iron themselves out with a good old talking session, but sometimes, the only thing you can do is hold your breath and wait for things to pass themselves.

 

Taeyong really hopes that whatever is happening to Mark and Donghyuck is over soon, because the fans seem to be catching onto the fact that something is wrong. He doesn’t even know what, but it’s affecting their performances, and then it’s his job to care. The company makes sure of that.

 

**_//_ **

 

Donghyuck wakes up with the dregs of last night’s headache for lack of a better word. Also he’s got a sizeable bruise. He’s in his bed, which is normal, but Johnny is on the floor next to his bed, which is not so normal. It takes him a couple of seconds, but yesterday’s events slowly resurface. He can only find it in himself to sigh. Maybe at one time he would’ve had the energy to properly freak out, but he doesn’t have any of that right now, so whatever. He pulls himself up into a sitting position, and swings his legs over the side the bed. 

 

It isn’t even that loud, but Johnny startles awake next to him. “Hey.” He says, sounding completely casual. “How’s your head doing today?” 

 

“Hurts I guess.” 

 

“I bet there’s some painkillers in the kitchen how ‘bout we go and do that as well as some food?” Donghyuck shrugs, not wanting to come off as indifferent, but he really is feeling drained. And puffy. His body always feels the lasting marks of a good cry. As well as falling off of a bed, which his mind is not letting him forget. 

 

“Let’s do it.” Johnny helps him up and they walk to the kitchen. He hears what sounds like yelling as they get closer, but it’s gone by the time they step inside. Mark’s favorite coffee mug is on the counter, still full, he notices. Donghyuck stares for a second, and then blinks, turning his attention elsewhere, and letting that numbness that he’s been working on with Mark wash over him. 

 

“What’re you in the mood for kid?” The older of the two asks, rifling through the fridge. Painkillers are already laying out on the counter, the kind that come in sheets with the foil backing.

 

“Surprise me.”  He walks over and pops open one of the little packages, not in the mood to peel anything away at the moment. Donghyuck isn’t a monster, so he doesn’t dry swallow the pill. He’s also lazy, so he just takes a deep breath and picks up Mark’s coffee, and then swallows the pill, chasing it down with the now cold liquid. Cold or not, it’s so familiar, just the way Mark has always made coffee. He turns and spits the remaining coffee in his mouth into the sink.

 

Johnny pulls a couple of eggs out of the fridge, and a couple of bell pepper slices as well. So it’s going to be omelettes, that’s the way he always bullies Taeyong into making them when they’re in the mood. Taeyong is probably still asleep, he always has to reboot after holidays. “So having a panic attack on Christmas probably wasn’t the most fun ever.” He gets pulled out of his head by the words.

 

“Are you sure? I had a blast.” A little trickle of energy climbs through him at the sound and smell of eggs cracking into a pan. Snark is now an available option. He’s never snarky these days because they don’t really spend that much time with him. That may be because fits of depression do a great job of tearing apart relationships. It’s nice to have someone simply make him breakfast. 

 

He’s feeling surprisingly good this morning all things aside. In a messed up kind of way, panic attacks always help him, force everything out, no matter how well he thinks he’s got things under wraps. It’s been a while since the last one, he’d forgotten that kind of tired, relaxed haze they leave him in. “Glad to see you’re feeling more yourself.” Johnny smiles. The food is done cooking, Donghyuck takes a moment to admire his creation, absorbing the steam rising off of the omelette, before diving in with reckless abandon. 

 

**_//_ **

 

Donghyuck is opening the presents he didn’t get to last night on the couch, resting his head against an ice pack. Taeyong had insisted when he had woken up, after some forced but careful prodding. Captain’s orders and all of that. Anyways, he’s opening the few extra packages he has left, almost zoning out, completely blocking all of the noise of people going through their day around him. It’s peaceful, enough so that he’s in a mindset where things don’t feel like they can really go wrong. It’s only going to last for a day tops, before he sinks back into the grayness of reality, the emptiness of his heart.

 

This is what he thinks is going to happen, but it looks like the universe (or the three musketeers) has other plans, for he feels a weight on the couch as he carefully peels wrapping paper off of a little trinket box. He looks up, expecting it to be Johnny, but it’s not, and his blood suddenly freezes. It’s not Johnny. It’s Mark of all people. He looks pissed off and at the same time guilty. Maybe he would’ve found it kind of cute not too long ago, but now it scares him. 

 

A shudder wracks his body, as he forces himself to meet the other’s eyes. Maybe he should say something, but what does he say? “So,” Mark is the one that speaks first instead, “I guess we should talk.”

 

That almost makes him laugh. Yes, a simple little catch up should fix all of the things that went wrong between them. “What do you want to talk about hyung?” There’s no trouble keeping his tone even, it’s completely dead, sucking all of the emotion unspoken out of the air between them and replacing it with tension. 

 

Mark doesn’t look like he knows what he wants to say. That just means whatever he comes up with will probably hurt like hell, because when he’s in the zone, Mark thinks like no-one else on his feet. He opens his mouth, and Donghyuck tenses without noticing. “My girlfriend dumped me last night.” He starts. “Got her a necklace and everything, was really expensive.” He rubs the back of his neck.

 

“I bet you’re feeling pretty badly right now.” Donghyuck feels no sympathy for him, but it still hurts that he cares for her so much more than he ever did for him. “Heart break hurts.” The lack of anything in his voice is unsettling for someone who isn’t used to hearing it, he can see Mark getting uncomfortable. 

 

“I’ve been told that I should apologize. You deserve better Hyuck, I’m sorry.” The nickname burns like acid. It’s all wrong, it’s nothing like the countless conversations he’s imagined having in his head. Mark still doesn’t care. Someone put him up to this, of course. Of course, of course, of course. It’s always got to be this way, doesn’t it? Tears build up around his eyes, more of frustration then anything else. They burn over before he can stop them, breaking his facade.

 

“Is that really it? After everything, you don’t even have a genuine thing to say?” Mark is startled now, instantly changing from uncomfortable.

 

“There’s not much to say about us, things happen, people change. Nothing really-” 

 

“Lasts. Nothing really lasts. Especially not when you get bored, and stab the people that love you in the back with nothing to say for yourself but some flimsy excuse. I know nothing really lasts, you’ve been making those words a reality for me, Mark.” Frustration bleeds into anger, hot, no more like scorching. It’s shortlived, but no-one needs to be staying angry for prolonged periods of time anyways. 

 

Maybe he finally got through to the other, because Mark is looking pretty rattled. It’s slightly understandable, communication seems to be something that they mutualy suck at. Donghyuck never just spits out feelings like this, especially now. “I really am s-sorry.” Mark stutters, and he knows there’s more truth behind the words this time. He never stutters, something about it hurting his rapper pride, Mark told him when he first debuted. The only times he’s ever heard him stutter are when he gets really overwhelmed. 

 

Donghyuck finds it in himself to just nod, and leave, retreating back to the safety of his own bedroom. It’s finally sunk in, there’s nothing between them anymore. Whatever fluke their relationship was can’t repeat itself, he knows. Why try, then? Both of them have trouble letting things go, there’s always going to be a block in the way that stops them from coming clean. As Donghyuck sinks to the floor, he finds that he doesn’t really want that anymore. 

 

“Is everything okay?” He looks up to see Sicheng poking his head into the room, a towel wrapped around his hair, clearly just out of the shower. “I saw you and Mark talking.” 

 

“It’s okay hyung don’t worry about it.” For the first time in a long time, he believes himself. 

 

“Just making sure.” Sicheng smiles, slightly awkwardly, as he always is, before leaving. Donghyuck can hear him whistling as he enters his room, and finds himself laughing at the normalcy. Probably parts happiness and hysteria, as he’s feeling wildly unstable. Not the best combination, but he can’t bring himself to stop, so he doesn’t.


	2. Two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes this took too long. It also might seem kind of boring but I think that Hyuck deserves some nice simple happiness so here we are.

Donghyuck doesn’t dream of anything that night, his mind giving the okay for a full on knock out. Mark isn’t so lucky, he’d been thinking of that dream for most of the day, and not positively. Maybe that’s because he’s had a rough couple of days. Whatever it is, it keeps him up as he furiously tries to erase red from his mind. When he finally falls asleep, he assumes he has some sort of nightmare for he wakes up sweating and terrified some time later. It could be minutes or hours from the time that he fell asleep and he can’t tell at all.

Jaehyun's soft snores echo through the room, and the glow of Ten’s phone as he does god-knows-what doesn’t waver. If Ten hears him, he doesn’t make any signs. That’s kind of his thing, sticking around until things get too emotionally involved, and then backing out. Better yet not getting involved at all. As Mark settles back down, heart rate slowing to an acceptable pace, he remembers that he and Donghyuck are separated by their thin dorm walls and nothing else.

He almost wonders, if he listened carefully would he hear the younger’s breathing, or something else? It’s a strange thought, and he’s already forgotten it the moment his head hits the pillow. It won't be the only time he wakes up tonight, but he doesn't know that.

//

In the morning, Johnny can tell something has changed, although he doesn't know what. He'd heard from Sicheng that Donghyuck and Mark had talked, but he has no idea what about. Whatever it was though, he thinks that it did his younger roommate some good. Bottling things up only makes things worse in the end after all.

Donghyuck wakes up smiling, his head clear. He'd thought of a plan for today, as he knows that someone had to have put Mark up to that helpful but disastrous conversation. He's not feeling necessarily happy, but just lighter, and it'll do for now. He wants to go and talk to who he suspects was behind the ordeal. To do so, he needs to get up though. They're having a short break before recording and practices for their first album come up, and he wants to make the most of the time he has.

Standing up, he finds something to wear before heading to the kitchen for a quick meal. He finds a granola bar and some fancy pear yogurt that Taeil is obsessed with and decides that it'll do the trick. Some coffee sounds good also, but the Dream dorm has a coffee maker now, he knows that. He can hear movement throughout the his own dorm at the moment, and scared that he'll get busted by the owner of half of his breakfast, he rushes to the door and yanks on some sneakers.

Granola bar in hand, he speedwalks down the street not paying attention to Seoul waking up around him. It's chilly out, which makes sense because it is December, and he had forgotten a jacket. He hasn't been to the Dream dorm in a while, he was moved out after the last comeback, which was We Young in August. He’s almost forgotten the dorm layout, but at least remembers how to get there. At least it isn’t snowing today, then he would really be screwed. Five more freezing minutes pass before he gets there, and then he grabs the key he knows is under the mat and lets himself in. Not taking any chances, they might not be awake.

Warmth hits him in a wave once he’s inside, and Donghyuck sighs, shutting the door as quietly as he can. Looking around, he sees Renjun curled up on a barstool, poptart in one hand, phone in the other. He gives a lazy wave. “Haven’t seen you in a while.” Is his greeting.

“Thought I’d come say thank you or something.” He replies. Renjun has clearly just gotten up, hair shaggy, face unwashed. Also, he doesn’t have socks on, and he remembers that the floor is freezing in the winter. Donghyuck waltzes into the kitchen, and fires up the coffee machine.

“Someone had to put him in his place. And no-one was helping you over there so.” The boy shrugs, and Donghyuck doesn’t mention the fact that he’s blushing. Renjun isn’t so good at being sentimental and expressing his feelings verbally. He’s not insensitive, it just doesn’t come easy for him, and he always gets flustered physically if not mentally. He finds it rather endearing, Renjun hates it.

“Anyone else awake?”

“Maybe.” Renjun reverts back to his sleepy shell, taking slow bites of the poptart, thumb not making anymore motions on his screen. Donghyuck feels like that’s going to be him in approximately six hours when he tires out his brain. For now, he’s going to have to knock on doors to see if people are awake. They’ve learned not to just walk in on people, because you never know if you’re going to see something you never wanted to, or you were supposed to. They’re also teenagers, privacy is kind of a big deal.

He knocks on Jeno’s door, and after a couple of seconds, Jeno answers. He looks surprised to see Donghyuck, but it isn't the bad surprised which is a welcome change. Jeno looks a lot more awake than Renjun, and if he knows him, Jeno is doing homework. A quick glance at the desk in the corner as he steps inside confirms this. “So what brings you 'round these parts?” Jeno asks.

“Wanted to say thanks for yesterday. Already talked to Renjun so I know it was you guys that set up… the conversation.”

“‘Course Hyuck, we've got your back,” he replies, smiling. “Also Jaem is still asleep, I don't think it would be smart to go wake him up.” He'd forgotten how much Jaemin prioritizes sleep, it's been so long since they'd lived together.

“Alright. What’re you working on?” He plops onto Jeno's bed, feeling strangely nervous. Donghyuck becomes aware of just how rusty his social skills are getting.

“Calculus.” Jeno answers dryly. It's not that the older hates math, but he's been complaining about calculus since their second year of high school. Nothing else, just calculus. Which he can understand. It's a ridiculously complicated type of math that he doesn't see any need for in his future, short and long term.

“What a brave soul, it's still so early.” He goes for a joke.

“If I fail this class I won't be able to graduate, and then you know I'm gonna get made fun of.” Jeno whines. He laughs, clearly picturing Renjun humiliating him on a VLive. If their managers don't kick their asses, it probably could happen.

“I'm sure you're going to do just fine.” He reassures. Jeno's bed has the covers made up, a sharp contrast from Renjun’s bed. He's also got a Moomin plushie on his bed now, one that he doesn't remember him having before. Jeno seems to pick up on his confusion, and speaks.

“Injun gave me one of his older ones for Christmas. Jaem has one too.” That's a very generous gift, as Renjun has spent an astonishing amount of time and energy into his collection of the character.

“That's surprising of him.” He pats the Moomin on the top of it's soft head and then leaves it be, afraid of accidentally destroying it and facing the wrath of the oldest 00 liner. He has a fiery temper when angry, Jaemin does as well, but Renjun's tends to be a shade worse.

“It's almost like he's growing a sense of niceness as he gets older.” They both snicker at that. On camera, Renjun comes across as soft spoken, gentle and more calm. For the most part, it's a camera personality. He can be all of those things, they are in his real personality, but more often, he's loud and excitable. As many teenagers that he knows tend to be. Minus Mark, his mind supplies, and he feels himself frowning as he shuts down that train of thought.

Jeno doesn't ask any questions, and for a bit they sit in quiet, him on the bed, and the other trying to actually finish his work. He feels himself grow a little drowsy in that time, the background noise of Jeno's pencil scratching against his paper and the click of his calculator buttons oddly soothing. After an indiscernible amount of time (he thinks it was probably twenty minutes max), Jaemin tumbles into the room. He looks the same amount of awake as Renjun was earlier, and Donghyuck scoots over as the younger falls into bed next to him.

“Hello Hyuckie.” He mumbles, and Donghyuck responds by smoothing down the tufts of hair that are sticking up towards the back of his head.

“Thanks for how badass you were yesterday.” He says. Jaemin is different from Jeno and Renjun, he doesn't need long and more sappy way of saying thanks. He remembers that the other likes it when you get straight to the point. Which is good for him as well, as he has hates talking about how he feels about stuff.

“Anytime.” Jaemin lifts his head up from the mattress, eyes open this time, trying to smile, although his attempt is more like a yawn. “Junnie said you were here anyways so I thought I'd come and say hi.”

“Mission accomplished.”

“Hmm. Jeno working on his calculus homework?”

“How'd you know?” He asks sarcastically.

“Fun fact: that was due before Christmas but he bullshitted his way into an extension.” Jeno splutters from his desk but doesn't deny the information.

“Huh, maybe you really won't graduate then.” Jeno looks absolutely flabbergasted, and Jaemin howls with laughter at his expression. Once they all settle down, Jaemin whips out his phone, much more awake than he was a couple of minutes ago. He also takes out his earbuds and forces Donghyuck to watch some conspiracy videos that he had found recently. They're both pretty big fans of the subject, the fear factor and wonder from a well explained theory is addictive. He remembers back when Dream first debuted they used to watch them as a whole group until Chenle started taking them too seriously and was a paranoid wreck for a while.

That ended quickly. It almost makes him sad how long it's been since they spent time together outside of work. Really it's because he pushed them away, isolated himself because he's a horrible selfish- no. Not now, not today. Today is going to be a good day where he feels like a human being again and feels happy. He realizes he's spaced out and focuses back in on their video. Jaemin is biting his lip, eyes wide and filled with a hungry interest. The reflection of the screen shines in them. The theory is good, easy to fall into. That's what you want, no-one has time to sit around and wait for someone to cut to the chase.

As the last few seconds play, Jeno sets down his pencil, and Renjun comes into the room. He looks wildly uncomfortable, most likely from the cold floors again. He almost jumps into his own bed, sighing into the pillow. “I don't like the floors.” He almost-but-not-quite whines. Jeno laughs.

“It's December. Put socks on idiot.” Renjun stares daggers at the other, but they have zero effect. Too long together, he's become immune.

“The gang's back together.” Jaemin takes out his earbud and Donghyuck follows suit.

“Been a while.” “Hopefully here to stay this time.” Jeno is sitting on the edge of his desk, which drives Donghyuck slightly crazy, but he opts for smiling instead of snapping at him. It'll ruin the moment, and they have a lot of those they need to catch up on.

“Jisung woke up.” Renjun says casually, so it doesn't matter anyway, the sappy movie-like friendship moment is over. He gets up and ruffles through his sock drawer, and finally settles on a plain gray pair that go up to his ankles. They have the little grips on the bottom so that you can't slip, the kind that parents get for their little kids so they can avoid hospitals. It's so fitting for Renjun that it's surreal, he kind of feels like he's astral projecting.

“The other little monster asleep still?” Jeno asks, and he scoots back, crossing his legs and not noticing the stink eye being sent his way.

“That's gross and you sound predatory.” Jaemin chimes, nose wrinkling. “Am I right Hyuck?” He has to agree, and delivers a nod. Jeno pouts indignantly and Renjun snorts laughing.

“I think we ran out of hot chocolate last night so Ji is going to be sad.” He says when he's calm again. “I hate his pout.”

“It's so cold out, looks like he's going to have to deal for a day or two.” Jaemin replies, face expressionless. Donghyuck can't relate. Taeyong is weird about running out of anything, and makes sure they have a full stock of most things in their kitchen in any situation, rain or shine, or worse. It's admirable, but Taeil and Yuta love abusing that service. Jaehyun too if he's feeling feisty. His word, which makes him sound like a forty year old man in his mind.

“So what are the plans for today then if it's so cold?” Renjun asks, sitting down, his socks making surprisingly audible taps on the wood floor. Its cold out, but not enough so to restrict any outdoor activities. Call it laziness if you will.

“There's a new Thor movie on Netflix, I know Hyuck likes Marvel movies.” Jeno answers. Donghyuck gives a thumbs up to this, even though he didn't really even know that there was a new Thor movie. Time to rejoin the land of the living, and get with the times.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hopefully I can put up the next chapter faster! Thank you for 180 hits so quickly :)

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! Feel free to leave a comment on whatever you thought, they really make my day. 
> 
> Come chat w/ me on [Twitter!](https://twitter.com/moonwhis?lang=en)


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